Chapter 381: Death by Terror
Though Jared stood seemingly motionless before the fearsome tiger, he had already activated his Focus Technique. A bold idea struck him: Focus Technique could absorb another's martial energy. While he couldn't hunt people for training, this materialized tiger presented an opportunity.
Jared reached out, grasping the tiger's head. Carefully, he channeled the Focus Technique, absorbing the martial energy without triggering the tiger's dissipation. The force was immense; the floor cracked, and his knees buckled.
Murmurs rippled through the crowd:
“Jared's too young to face Zachariah!” “It's a miracle he's survived this long!”
Josephine clutched her shirt, her palms slick with sweat. Phoenix leaped to her feet, muttering through gritted teeth:
“Mr. Chance is going to lose! I’m going to save him!”
She wouldn't watch him die, even if it risked her life. Tommy grabbed her arm.
“In your condition, you can't help. Let's wait. Mr. Chance won't fall easily!”
Despite his words, Tommy felt intensely anxious. He hated his weakness and uselessness. As Horington's underground king, he'd had everything, neglecting training. Witnessing the arena battles, he deeply regretted his inaction.
Zachariah watched, instead of following up his attack, as Jared struggled.
"You will die slowly, in terror!" Zachariah sneered.
Jared ignored him, focusing on absorbing the energy. It was his first attempt, and he struggled, but felt the energy flowing into him. He just needed to process it. Gradually, the energy tiger faded, vanishing completely. Jared stood, his feet sunk deep into the ground.
Zachariah was surprised. "You survived! Your son's corpse lies there. Avenge him, if you dare!"
Jared couldn't openly drain Zachariah's energy; he needed to provoke an attack. This way, he could absorb the energy without appearing villainous.
His taunt worked perfectly. Zachariah roared, enraged: "Insolent fool!" He leaped, condensing martial energy into sharp blades that rained down. Jared didn't dodge; he moved towards them.